They Missed $2 Million Because Maduro Wasn't Supposed to Be Home for the New Year
On the early morning of January 3, 2026, US special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro at his residence and extradited him to the United States. Prior to the raid, several anonymous accounts on the prediction market platform Polymarket placed large bets on the highly unlikely outcome that Maduro would lose power before January 31, 2026, turning a significant profit once the operation succeeded. Three new wallets, with no prior history, collectively gained over $600,000, suggesting possible insider trading based on confidential intelligence.
Further analysis revealed that the operation was originally scheduled for December 29, 2025, but was delayed due to severe weather. Two other traders who had placed early large bets on Maduro’s removal in 2025 suffered major losses when the operation was postponed. However, after learning the raid was rescheduled for January 3, they placed new bets and managed to recover some profits. One trader, Chiwawas, missed out on potential earnings of $750,000 due to the delay.
The incident highlights how Polymarket has become a platform where individuals with privileged information can exploit timing and knowledge gaps for financial gain.
marsbit01/04 08:40
